The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-22
ENGLAND AND AMERICA.

ENGLAND AND AMERICA.
We must not forget that our fathers
were exiles from their dearly loved ma
tive land, driven by causes which no
longer exist. Freedom to worship God
is found in England as fully as in Amer
lea, in our day. In placing the Atlantic
between themselves and the Old World
civilizations they made an enormous sac
rifice. It is true that the wonderful adj
vance of our people in all the arts and
accomplishments which make life agree
able has transformed the wilderness into
home where men and women can live
comfortably, elegantly, happily, if they
are Of contented disposition; and without
that they can be happy nowhere. What
better provision can be made for a NOR.
tai man than such as our own Boston can
afford its wealthy children? A palace on
Commonwealth avenue or Beacon street;
a country place at birmingham or Lenox;
a seaside residence at Nahant, Beverly
Farms, Newport, or Bar Harbor; a pew at
Trinity or Kings Chapel; tomb at
Mount Auburn or Forest Hills; with the
prospect Of a memorial stained window
after his lamented demise,-is not this a
pretty program to offer candidate for
human existencep
Give him all these advantages, and he
will still be longing to cross the water, to
get back to that old home of his fathers,
so delightful in itself, SO infinitely desir-
able on account of it's nearness to Paris,
to Geneva, to Rome, to all that is most
interesting in Europe. The less wealthy,
less cultivated, less fastidious class of
Americans are not SO much haunted by
these longings. But the convenience Of
living in the Old World is SO great, and
crossing the ocean, that it seems alto
gether likely that considerable current
of re-migration will gradually develop it.
self among our PEOPLE.
Some find the climate of the other side
of the Atlantic suits them better than
their OWL. AS the New England chsrsc-
teristics are gradually superseded by those
of other races, other forms OF belief, and
other associations, the time may come
when New Highlander will feel more as
if he were among his own people in Lon
don than in one of our seaboard cities.
The vast majority of our people love their
country too we'll and are too proud of it
to be willing to expatriate themselves.
But going back to our old home, to find
ourselves among the relatives from whom
we have separated for few generations
is not like transferring ourselves to land
where another language is spoken, and
where there are no ties of blood and no
common religious or political traditions
I for one, being myself as inveterately
rooted an American of the Bostouian va
riety as ever saw himself mirrored in the
Frog Pond, hope that the exchanges of
emigrants and re-migrapts will be much
more evenly balanced by and by than at
present. [ hope that more Englishmen
like James Smithson will help to build
up our scientific and literary institutions.
I hope that more Americans like George
Peabody will call down the blessings OF
the English people by noble benefactions
to the cause of charity. 1t was with deep
feelings of pride and gratitude that look
ed upon the bust OF Longfellow, holding
its place among the monuments of Eng
lands greatest and best children. 1 see
with equal pleasure and pride that one of
our own large-hearted countrymen has
honored the memory of two English poets.
Milton and Cowper, by the gift of two
beautiful stained windows, and with still
ampler munificence is erecting a stately
fountain in the birthplace of Shakespeare.
Such acts as these make us feel more and
more the truth of the generous sentiment
which closes the ode of Washington Ais
ton, America to England: "We are onel"
= Oliver Wendell Holmes, in October
Atlantic.